Are Your Feet Flat?

Flat feet are a common malady that underlie many orthopedic diagnoses. Flat feet in simple terms is the excessive inward collapse of the foot’s arch during weight bearing.

I tell patients that a practical way to self-diagnose flat feet is to look at the imprint that your foot makes on a towel after stepping out of the shower. A normal arch imprint should have a curved appearance with a concavity facing the inner portion of the foot. A flat-arched imprint however will appear more rectangular in shape and will often lack any curvature.

The clinical consequences of excessively flat feet are numerous. Problems specific to the feet that can arise include plantar fasciitis, bunions, metatarsalgia, and heel-cord tendonitis.

Most people do not consider secondary problems associated with flat feet. There is a high correlation between flat feet and knee pain, hip bursitis, and even lower back pain. A chain-effect of poor alignment travels up the leg: a foot that has rolled inward causes the knee to roll inwards, often resulting in a “knock-kneed” appearance and misalignment of the knee caps. The hips follow suit and rotate inwards, causing weakness in the muscles that stabilize the hip and pelvis. Runners with flat feet are particularly vulnerable to this kinetic chain weakness as the forces that they place on their feet are many times greater than the forces associated with walking.

There are many ways to treat the effects of flat feet. Although flat feet cannot be reversed, podiatrists and physical therapists will often fashion custom-made orthotics for shoes that serve to support the arch of the foot and slow down the speed at which the arch flattens out with each step taken. It is also a good idea to purchase walking shoes that provide ideal support. (Our next blog will address how to look for the right type of shoe to purchase for your needs).

Strengthening of the muscles that are weakened by flat feet is also incredibly important. The hip abductors, buttocks, quadriceps, and the muscles of the feet should all be addressed. As always, consult a therapist or doctor before getting started with these exercises.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Daniel Baumstark, CHT

Daniel is a licensed physical therapist and the owner of PhysioDC (physiodc.com ), a sportsmedicine clinic in downtown Washington DC. He graduated in 1998 with clinical honors from the Washington University...read more